Improvement in revolving fire-arms



W. J. PITT.

` Revolver. N o. 34,093

IMMO? 52g 7m: NoRfus PETER: mx. wAsmNamN, n. c.

Patented Jan. 7, 1862.l

UNITED STATES f PATENT QEEICE.

IMPROVEMENT IN REVOLVING FIRE-ARMS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 34,093, dated January l, 186.

To all whom t may concern: I

Be it known that I, WILLIAM JONES PITT, of Middletown, in the county of'Middlesex and State ofUonnecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Revolving' Fire-Arms 5 and I do hereby declare that the following is-a full and exact descriptionof the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, which is a longitudinal vertical section of a pistol with my improvements attached.

My invention relates to and is a means of removing therevolvin-g chambers from contact with the barrel beforethey are rotated, and of forcing the one to bered into firntcontact therewith after being brought properly in line.

The nature of my invention consists in the employment of a inale or female screw-thread on part in line with the pin of.the"recoil shield and connected therewith, rotated or partially rotated alternatelyin oppositedirections .through the, intervention of a rack or equivalent Ineans by the cooking-lever, or the lever which revolves the chambers, in such a man ner that said `threaded part shall recede and allow the chambers to be disconnected from or be removed from contact with the barrel previous to the action of the revolving pawl, and that when said cooking-lever is returned toits previous position the said screw shall force the chambers forward into firm contact with the end ot' the barrel, for the purpose of cutting off the-windage and holding the chamber firmly in the lineof the barrel.

The nature of my invention consists also in the arrangement of a washer or thimble in combination with the sprin g which forces the chambers back, and thus takes up the slack'of the parts, wherebythe saidspringacts through s the said thimble upon the front end of therevolving chambers, while it remainsfentirely concealed within the stock, out ofreach of the powder or the deleterious gases which always escape to some extent between the chambers and barrel.

To enable others skilled in the art to make and use my invention, I will proceed -todescribe its construction and operation by the aid of the drawing and the letters of reference marked thereon.

A is the iron frame of the stock for fa cavalry-pistol, and B the barrel attached thereto. are the revolving chambers, supported by the pin D, and abutting against the recoilshield E. F is the cooking-lever, and Gr its` spring, the lock and the parts connected therewithnot beingrepresentedin this section. All

the above-named parts are arranged similarlyv to several styles of arms heretofore known.

,In a line with the pin e of the recoil-shield E, I placca screw, H', fitting a female screw inthe stock A, and carrying a pinion, It, as represented. A pin, I, on the end of H enters a socket inthe end of c, and forms a bearing for each, keeping them in line. A rack, J, is pivoted to the cooking-lever F, and meshes into the pinion h in such a manner that when F is worked back and forth the screw His rotated and caused to recede into and advance from the stock A, thus giving the recoilsbield a motion in the line of its axis.

' The pin D, which forms-fan. axis for the revolving breech or chambers G, has a bea-ring at one end in a socket, formed in the..recoilshield E, and at the other end in the stock A. The hole in the stock A is largerv than that through the breech C, and the' end ofD isenlarged to t therein, as represented. A thimble, K,"witl1 a diameter equalv to that ofTne hole in A is fitted upon the pin D. One end ot'K bears against the end of the revolving.

breech I), whilethe other end extends' a little way into A'. y

In the annular chamber formed inthe hole in A, between the enlarged'part 'of D and the thimble K, a helical spring, L, is placed, bear'- ing upon K, and lforcing it against the revolving breech C. When, therefore, the screw El recedes, the spring -L 'causes both C and the recoil-shield E to follow it, thus releasing (l from `B, and allowing it to be rotated by the proper mechanism t not represented) connected with the lever F. When the screw advances again the spring L is'compressed, and O is again pressed into contact with B. A slot and pin (represented in dotted lines) prevent the thimble K from being removed from A when the pin D is withdrawn f or the purpose of releasing the chambered breech, while it is allowed suiicient longitudinal motion to perform its proper functions.

I am aware` that a. reciprocating motion has heretofore beenl given toa revolving breech for the same" purpose by means of a togglejoint, and also by a cam; but these are both objectionable frornvmthe rapid wear upon the joints of the one and upon the surface of the other. They are also more liable to derangement than my improved device.

I am also aware that a spring similarly situated to L has been used without thethimble K; but such spring was open, so that powdei` and dirt rapidly clogged itA and prevented its proper action. 'A similar spring has also been placed within the chambered breech C, the hole in which/was of two different diameters toallow of its reception; but such arrangement necessitated an enlarged hole in and a consequently'weakcning of the breech C, while it .reduced the bearing-surface and increased tl'ie `cost of manufacture, owing` tothe dieulty of boring the said hole with two diii'erent diameters,I and of fitting the pin D so as to secure an equal and proper bearing at both ends, By

v the-use of my thilhle K the spring L is concealed in and protected by the' stock A, while substantially as and the bearing in C is retained in its simplest and most desirable form. Having now fully what I claim as new therein, cure by Letters Patent, is

1. The combination screw H, recoil-shield E., lever I?, and rack -and pinion J h., or their equivalents, substantially as herein set forth. I

2. The arrangement ot the spring L., thimble K, and pin D yin and with the stock A, for the purpose herein specified.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto. set my hand in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

W. J. PITT, Witnesses:

THOMAS D. Srntrsom. G. H. Banooex.

described my invention,-

and desire to se iand arrangement oft`., tj,he"y 

